1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mother substrates, substrate elements, and methods for manufacturing the same. In particular, the present invention relates to a mother substrate for manufacturing substrate elements including electronic elements such as resonators and filters.
2. Description of the Related Art
Known technologies related to the present invention are disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. 8-293752, 58-139513, 8-97674, and 7-335995.
A conventional method in which electrode patterns are formed on a mother substrate, and where substrate elements are obtained by cutting the mother substrate into a plurality of pieces has been widely used. In the conventional method, a mother substrate 1, for example, as shown in FIG. 20 is used. The mother substrate 1 shown in FIG. 20 is provided with through-holes 4 at positions corresponding to the four corners and intermediate parts of lateral sides of each substrate element 3. Electrodes 2 are provided on the inner surface of each through-hole 4 and on the principal plane of each substrate element 3. The mother substrate 1 is cut by a dicer or other similar cutting devices along cut lines, thereby obtaining the substrate element 3 shown in FIG. 21.
However, according to the conventional method, a problem occurs in that a plurality of molds used for forming the mother substrates, are required to be provided with pins according to the number of through-holes 4 of the substrate elements 3, thereby increasing the cost of the molds, whereby manufacturing costs of the substrate elements 3 are increased. Moreover, in the method in which the mother substrate 1 is provided with a plurality of the through-holes 4 at the location of the lateral sides of the substrate elements 3, short circuits between electrodes 2 and the cracking of the substrates are likely to occur when the through-holes 4 are too close to each other, so that miniaturization of the substrate elements 3 is prevented. Furthermore, in the substrate element 3 having a large number of through-holes 4, a problem has been found in that the area of the substrate element 3 in which a sealing material and a conductive material are provided is limited. These materials must be applied so as not to penetrate into the through-holes 4 when the substrate element 3 is connected with an electronic device element or a packaging substrate. By reducing the area for the sealing material and the conductive material, the reliability of produced electronic devices is lowered. In order to resolve these problems, the substrate element 3 must be made large, which is prevents miniaturization of the substrate and the component.
In order to overcome the problems described above, preferred embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus and method of manufacturing substrate elements which are obtained from a mother substrate which reduces the manufacturing cost of the substrate elements, minimizes the size of the substrate elements and increases the reliabiltiy of the electronic devices.
According to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, a mother substrate for forming substrate elements by cutting the mother substrate along a plurality of cut lines that are substantially parallel to each other includes a region in which a plurality of through-holes are provided, at a predetermined distance from each other, on each of the plurality of cut lines. The through-holes on each of the plurality of cut lines are disposed alternately with the through-holes on an adjacent cut line.
According to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, a mother substrate is provided with sections that are disposed in the vertical and horizontal directions. The sections are associated with substrate elements to be formed by cutting the mother substrate along cut lines extending in the vertical and horizontal directions. A plurality of first cut lines extend along a line and opposes one another across the section associated with each of the substrate elements to be formed. A plurality of first through-holes are provided on the first cut line and disposed at a predetermined distance from each other. A plurality of second cut lines extend along another line and also opposes one another across the section associated with each of the substrate elements to be formed. A plurality of second through-holes are provided on the second cut line and disposed at a predetermined distance from each other. The first through-holes and the second through-holes are disposed alternately with respect to each other such that a first line that passes through the first through-holes and extends substantially perpendicularly to the first cut line is separated from a second line that passes through the second through-holes, and which extends substantially perpendicularly to the second cut line.
According to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention, a substrate element is manufactured by a method including the steps of providing a mother substrate for forming substrate elements, forming a plurality of through-holes disposed at a predetermined distance from each other on each of plurality of cut lines on the mother substrate, forming through-holes on each of the plurality of cut lines to be disposed alternately with the through-holes on an adjacent cut line, and cutting the mother substrate along the cut lines.
According to a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method of manufacturing a substrate element includes the steps of providing a mother substrate having sections which are disposed in vertical and horizontal directions, forming a plurality of first cut lines extending along a line and opposing one another across the section associated with each of the substrate elements to be formed, forming a plurality of first through-holes on the first cut line and disposed at a predetermined distance from each other, forming a plurality of second cut lines extending on another line and opposing one another across the section associated with each of the substrate elements to be formed, forming a plurality of second through-holes on the second cut line and disposed at a predetermined distance from each other, the first through-holes and the second through-holes being disposed alternately with each other such that a first line which passes through the first through-holes and extends substantially perpendicular to the first cut line is separated from a second line which passes through the second through-holes and extends substantially perpendicular to the second cut line, and cuffing the mother substrate along the cut lines.
According to a fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method for manufacturing substrate elements includes the steps of providing a mother substrate having a plurality of through-holes disposed on first lines and second lines opposing each other across sections associated with substrate elements to be formed, the through-holes on the first lines being disposed alternately with the through-holes on the second lines, forming electrodes on the principal plane of the mother substrate and on the inner surfaces of the through-holes, and cutting the mother substrate along the first and second lines.
According to a sixth preferred embodiment of the present invention, an electronic device includes a substrate element manufactured by a method including the steps of providing a mother substrate for forming substrate elements having a plurality of cut lines parallel to each other, forming a plurality of through-holes disposed at a predetermined distance from each other on each of the plurality of cut lines, forming the through-holes on each of the plurality of cut lines to be alternately disposed with the through-holes on an adjacent cut line, and cutting the mother substrate along the cut lines. The electronic device also includes an electronic device element mounted on the substrate element.
According to a seventh preferred embodiment of the present invention, an electronic device includes a substrate element manufactured by a method including the steps of providing a mother substrate having sections and disposed in the vertical and horizontal directions, the sections being associated with substrate elements to be formed, forming a plurality of first cut lines extending along a line and opposing one another across the section associated with each of the substrate elements to be formed, forming a plurality of first through-holes on the first cut line and disposed at a predetermined distance from each other, forming a plurality of second cut lines extending on another line and opposing one another across the section associated with each of the substrate elements to be formed, forming a plurality of second through-holes on the second cut line and disposed at a predetermined distance from each other, the first through-holes and the second through-holes being alternately disposed with each other such that a first line that passes through the first through-holes and extends substantially perpendicular to the first cut line is separated from a second line that passes through the second through-holes and extends substantially perpendicularly to the second cut line, and cutting the mother substrate along the cut lines. The electronic device also includes an electronic device element mounted on the substrate element.
The mother substrate according to preferred embodiments of the present invention is provided with through-holes disposed in a staggered way at the lateral sides of each section associated with a substrate element, thereby reducing the number of through-holes as a whole, which reduces the manufacturing cost of the substrate elements. Also, the substrate elements can be further miniaturized. Furthermore, by reducing the number of through-holes, the area in which sealing materials and conductive materials are applied is increased, whereby much more reliable electronic devices can be provided.
Other features, elements and advantages of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to preferred embodiments of the present invention and the attached drawings.